Galactic alignment, true or false?

Much is being said regarding a galactic alignment in 2012. My children recently saw a program on doomsday prophecy, and now they are freaked out about 2012. I did some research, but did not see a clearly scientific statement as to the alignment being fact or hoax. Can you help?

"The galactic alignment can refer to several different astronomical and astrological phenomena. According to Raymond Mardyks, the galactic alignment was composed of the thirteen equinoxes and solstices between Septembers 1998 and 2001. This is only one of several factors contributing to the astrology of 2012.

One common misunderstanding regarding the galactic alignment refers to an alignment between the December solstice sun with the equator of our galaxy, the Milky Way. The galactic equator is a reference line that describes 0 degrees longitude and 0 degrees latitude, and acts as a divisional line between the northern and southern hemispheres of the observed Milky Way. The alignment occurs as a result of the precession of the equinoxes. Precession is caused by the earth wobbling very slowly on its axis and shifts the position of the equinoxes and solstices one degree every 71.5 years. Because the sun is one-half of a degree wide, it will take the December solstice sun 36 years to precess through the galactic equator. The galactic equator passed exactly through the solstitial points of the ecliptic in May 1998."

Wether it's true or not, many predictions say in 2012 there will be a Galactic Alignment.

MysteriBoi, thank you for your input. That does help some. It puts a more rational definition to what the alignement is. If some predictions are true, and in 2012 the alignment occurs.....is there any scientific data demonstrating an effect(negative or positive) on earth?

Well from my understandings it depends on when it happens during that specific time, We can know. I don't know much about this but researching showed that there will be a cosmic alignment between the earth and sun.

Other's show that we will not be supplied with energy (light), yet we will go well but few things will change for a bit, if this is true but not all are accurate since the closest we've been to a GA was in 1998 and year round they are looking in to it, the astrologists.

Many questions still goes in everyones mind about this though, wether mostly positive effect or negative effect the GA will give to Earth.
Few speculation's show that there will be negative effect's in GA, not severe though as what i think.

If shown before that a GA will give a negative effect on earth then all goes wrong, so i think it's a matter of time till we know.

Well from my understandings it depends on when it happens during that specific time, We can know. I don't know much about this but researching showed that there will be a cosmic alignment between the earth and sun.

I meant in-between the sun and earth.For example SUN, MERCURY, EARTH If there are three bodies invovled in the alignment, what you think might happen to the earth? it not recieving sunlight, this question comes in my head.

I meant in-between the sun and earth.For example SUN, MERCURY, EARTH If there are three bodies invovled in the alignment, what you think might happen to the earth? it not recieving sunlight, this question comes in my head.Any suggestions?

Mercury isn't big enough to significantly impact the light from the sun.

Primarily, the effect will be a bunch of ignorant people only moderately educated rambling and freaking out about it all over the internet. It will cause others like me to laugh heartily, but simultaneously get discouraged at the present state of humanity.

I meant in-between the sun and earth.For example SUN, MERCURY, EARTH If there are three bodies invovled in the alignment, what you think might happen to the earth? it not recieving sunlight, this question comes in my head.

Any suggestions?

Transits of Mercury (and Venus) across the sun are interesting to observe. The planet appears as a tiny but visible dark spot on the sun, in fact tinier than many sunspots. Do not attempt this without appropriate filters for looking at the sun, as the amount of sunlight cut off by the planet is immeasurable without fairly high-tech devices.

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"Embrace those who seek truth. Run from those who claim to have found it." Vaclav Havel's advice for children.

Do not attempt this without appropriate filters for looking at the sun, as the amount of sunlight cut off by the planet is immeasurable without fairly high-tech devices.

Good point.

It is extremely dangerous to directly look at the sun without special eye protection (eg, during an eclipse or other solar event).

I believe that it would be useful for the casual user to know what types filters and viewing apparatus are appropriate to observe phenomenon involving the sun so that they don't fry their eyes and even go blind.Eg, Sunglasses are absolutely NOT sufficient.

The methods for safe viewing that I know about are:

1. Special viewing goggles designed for the purpose. Often referred to as "Eclipse Shades" or "Eclipse Glasses". These are often made from aluminized polyester, aluminized mylar or metal coated glass.Again, NEVER use sunglasses.

2. Number 14 welder's shields which are available through welding supply outlets.BUT NEVER use cutting torch or gas welding 'goggles'. These are not even sufficient for arc welding (eg, will give you "weld flash" if you use them for arc welding and, likewise, will let in too much light for sun viewing and fry your eye).

3. Pinhole projector. Cut a 1cm into a sheet of cardboard and cover a mirror with the cardboard . Point the mirror such a way that the reflection of the sun falls on a wall or on the side of a piece of plywood, cardboard or other flat surface and watch the event by viewing the spot on the flat surface. But NEVER view the mirror directly.

4. Indirect viewing using the VIEW SCREEN of a digital camera that has one of those flip screens so you can view it with your back to the sun. You should not use the camera's view finder though; that would fall under the category of direct viewing on many cameras so don't risk it!

I remember the Y2K scare, but was not aware of so many others. When 2000 was nearing my brother-in-law(retired from TRW)was telling all of us that every computer in the world would stop working, and that the world would fall into chaos. I am a Landscape Contractor; I told him that since the $200 irrigation controllers I installed were Y2K ready, I found it hard to believe his prediction. 2000 passed without problem. He never had much to say about it after that.